Take life in strides by Brynnlee

Take life in strides by Brynnlee - March 2021 Scholarship Essay

My academic role model is a friend of mine. Her name is Krista. She is a true gem and has been an inspiration to me and my academic journey. She began taking classes at Western Oregon University for their teaching program. After a term or two, she had to take a break due to not having the finances to continue. She took a break and work hard to earn money to continue with her degree. After a term and summer, she began again. When she started back up she was working while taking classes so that she would still have the finances to continue.
After a few terms of more than 12 credits and child care services during the school days, she got back on her projected path. She, as of last week (3/12/2021), has finished turning in the projects that will allow her to receive her bachelor's.
Krista is my academic role model because of her determination, dedication, and courage. She didn't let lack of finances take away her determination to finish her degree, disrupt her dedication to becoming a teacher, or break her courage to finish what she started. She could have given up and taken the lack of finances as a "sign" that it wasn't for her. But, she didn't, she pursued and received what she had started going after.
Life often throws things our way that we are not prepared for or even wanting to face But, how you deal with those things shows true character. Krista's strength to keep trying showed that she wouldn't let the little things in life slow her down, instead, she chose to take it all with confidence and rose above. She has given me the confidence to complete what I have started even if the plan changes. I have taken her model to heart and will hopefully be like her, continuing to pursue through bumpy roads.